Luna Pearl Woolf

The Whole Note: New Opera for Soprano and Cello Promises Multilinear Magic

Written by Jennifer Parr Category: Music Theatre Published: 30 January 2020

Marnie Breckenridge and Matt Haimovitz. Photo by Dahlia Katz

Toward the end of January I was invited to sit in on an early staging rehearsal of the new opera, Jacqueline, gaining a rare glimpse into the creation of this experimental world premiere that explores the life and legacy of celebrity virtuoso cellist Jacqueline du Pré, who, at 23, began experiencing numbness in her fingers, at 28 was diagnosed with MS and stopped playing the cello, and in 1987 passed away at age 42.

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TheWholeNote Editor’s Corner – February 2020 | Luna Pearl Woolf: Fire and Flood

Written by David Olds January 27, 2020

“A wonderful cross-section of Woolf’s vocal writing that bodes well for the new opera.”

This month Tapestry presents the world premiere of American composer Luna Pearl Woolf’s latest opera, Jacqueline. Coinciding with this is the Pentatone release of Woolf’s Fire and Flood on the Oxingale label (PTC5186803 naxosdirect.com). This striking vocal disc features mostly recent works for a cappella choir (the Choir of Trinity Wall Street) with soloists in several instances and, in the most memorable selection, Après moi, le déluge, obbligato cello (Matt Haimovitz). After a virtuosic cello cadenza, this work develops into a bluesy and occasionally meditative telling of the story of Noah and the Flood which culminates in the gospel-tinged Lord, I’m goin’ down in Louisiana before gently subsiding. After a rousing arrangement of Leonard Cohen’s Everybody Knows for vocal trio and cello, comes a modern-sounding but fairly tonal Missa in Fines Orbis Terrae with the choir accompanied by Messiaen-like organ (Avi Stein). The vocal trio (sopranos Devon Guthrie and Nancy Anderson with mezzo Elise Quagliata) return for One to One to One, in this instance accompanied by the low strings (three cellos and three basses) of NOVUS NY. Having begun with the close harmonies, murmurs, shouts and extended vocal techniques of the a cappella To the Fire with full choir, the disc ends with the vocal trio once again joined by Haimovitz for a raucous setting of Cohen’s Who by Fire to close out an exceptional disc. A wonderful cross-section of Woolf’s vocal writing that bodes well for the new opera.

Read it on thewholenote.com

Stage-Door.com: Tapestry Opera presents “Jacqueline”, the story of Jacqueline du Pré, February 19-23

By: Stage Door News January 7, 2020

Tapestry Opera presents the world premiere of Jacqueline, a story of the battle between a world-famous virtuoso cellist and the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) that took her body and talent, robbing her of her breathtaking musical gift, her identity, and ultimately her life. Jacqueline runs at the Betty Oliphant Theatre from February 19 – 23, 2020.

Considered among the best musicians in the world for her passionate interpretations and flawless technique, du Pré was a trailblazer for female soloists and a rare prodigy. When she began experiencing numbness in her fingers at age 24, her doctor dismissed it as psychological fatigue until she was correctly diagnosed with MS nearly four years later. A harrowing, darkly humourous, and emotionally sensitive exploration of what it means to have a singular talent unravel, Jacqueline journeys through the life and trials of one of classical music’s greatest figures.

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The Little OPERA Theatre Of NY Presents PAST AND PRESENT: SCENES FROM AMERICAN OPERAS

by BWW News Desk June 3, 2019

The little OPERA theatre of NY will present a FREE concert of scenes from American operas in collaboration with Bronx Opera and operamission. The concert will showcase the diversity of music and stories written for the opera stage by both native born and immigrant composers and librettists. The concert will take place outdoors on Governors Island in Nolan Park, in front of building 25. The performance is at 5pm and is FREE to the public. (Rain date: Sunday, June 23 at 4pm.)

Each of the three companies will present excerpts from operas with singers and piano. The little OPERA theatre of ny will showcase Luna Pearl Woolf and Caitlin Vincent’s Better Gods, which tells the story of the last Queen of Hawaii, Lili’uokalani, and the annexation of the island in 1898. Operamission will focus on two classic American operas written by immigrant composers: The Rake’s Progress by Igor Stravinsky and the melting pot opera Street Scene by Kurt Weill. Bronx Opera will present Marc Blitzstein‘s Regina based upon the play The Little Foxes by Lillian Hellman.

Read at Broadway World

Cellist Matt Haimovitz to perform Bach Suites: A Moveable Feast

March 7, 2019

ATHENS, Ga. —UGA Presents is bringing cellist Matt Haimovitz to Athens to perform Bach’s complete suites for unaccompanied cello in a two-day event he calls “A Moveable Feast.” On Apr. 3 and 4 Haimovitz will perform pop-up concerts in locations around Athens, culminating in a Hodgson Concert Hall performance on Apr. 4 at 7:30 p.m.
For his Moveable Feast, Haimovitz has commissioned preludes from contemporary composers to accompany each of Bach’s suites. The Apr. 4 Hodgson Hall concert will feature Bach’s Suite I with prelude by Philip Glass, Suite III with prelude by Vijay Iyer and Suite VI with prelude by Luna Pearl Woolf.

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BBC Music Magazine: Album Review – Angel Heart, a music storybook

February 20, 2019

Ludwig van Montréal : WEEK-END | Nos recommandations: concerts, bouffe et autres activités palpitantes

Par Caroline Rodgers le 15 février, 2019

EN FAMILLE

On invite jeunes et moins jeunes à la librairie Drawn & Quarterly pour assister à la lecture de Angel Heart, un conte de l’auteure Cornelia Funke sur la musique de la compositrice Luna Pearl Woolf. Cette histoire a aussi fait l’objet d’un très beau livre-disque sous étiquette Pentatone. Avec le violoncelliste Matt Haimovitz et quatre de ses étudiants. Narration: Jean Marchand. C’est samedi 16 février, 17 h, chez Drawn & Quarterly, 176 rue Bernard. Page Facebook de l’événement.

Read it at Ludwig van Montréal

Broadway World: Enter A Haunting World Of Dreams & Lullabies With ANGEL HEART: A MUSICAL STORYBOOK

By BWW News Desk December 5, 2018

Haunting, gentle spirits from far-flung worlds meet in the pulsing sphere of dreams and lullabies that is Angel Heart, a music storybook. With an original tale by best-selling children’s fantasy writer Cornelia Funke, Angel Heart weaves an evocative original score by Luna Pearl Woolf with beloved songs by Irving Berlin, Lennon-McCartney, Jake Heggie, Engelbert Humperdinck, Gordon Getty, and others. An affecting narration by Academy Award-winning actor Jeremy Irons layers upon intoxicating performances by singers Frederica von Stade, Daniel Taylor, Lisa Delan, and Zheng Cao – all above a rich bed of cellos, Matt Haimovitz and his Grammy-nominated ensemble Uccello.

Exquisite images by the award-winning creative studio Mirada unfold the tale, and the deluxe boxed cd-and-story package includes a coloring poster, stickers and cards for sharing the magic. Originally released in 2013, and accompanied by premiere performances in Los Angeles and at Carnegie Hall in New York, this is the first international release of Angel Heart, from the PENTATONE Oxingale series, available for digital and CD release on December 7.

Read it at Broadway World

Ludwig Van MONTREAL: LA RELÈVE | Quelque part, mon jardin: cinq compositeurs, deux ensembles et un spectable éclaté typiquement montréalais

Par Frédéric Cardin le 4 juin, 2018

June 4, 2018

…Luna Pearl Woolf, accustomed to the world of opera, probably has the most lyrical style of the group, in which she adds unusual sound colors, tinged with world-music culture, but not identified with any particular country. The result is often strange and beautiful….

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Ludwig van Montréal: LA RELÈVE | Quelque part, mon jardin: cinq compositeurs, deux ensembles et un spectacle éclaté typiquement montréalais

Par Frédéric Cardin 4 juin, 2018

Le samedi 9 juin 2018 à 20 h, à l’Usine C à Montréal, un audacieux spectacle fait de nouvelle musique très éclatée, de théâtre, de poésie et de projections vidéo abordera le thème de l’appartenance et de l’identité. Quelque part, mon jardin / My Backyard, Somewhere présenté par les ensembles montréalais collectif9 et Architek Percussion, sur des textes de Kaie Kellough, lui aussi de la métropole, arrive juste à temps (et enfin!) pour nous plonger de façon positive et créative dans un sujet brûlant. On devrait probablement y inviter tous les politiciens actuels, tiens.

Le spectacle d’une heure et demie environ s’articulera autour des textes de Kaie Kellough, auteur et poète montréalais bilingue dont le travail se concentre justement sur les questions d’identité, le sentiment d’appartenance à une culture, à un lieu.

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